Naruto Flower Tales: Hinata
by Mr. Lee
Summary: A series of Naruto oneshots that involve him, the kunoichis, and flowers. Next up is Hinata. Title is A Lavender Tale. Inspired by KinRyu Chikara. Rated T for fluffiness and just a drop of angst.


Naruto Flower Tales: Hinata by Mr. Lee

This fanfiction will be a NarutoxHinata one-shot

Rated T for fluffiness and just a drop of angst

Disclaimer: This fanfiction is for entertainment purposes only. The author of this fanfiction does not own Naruto or its characters. Naruto is owned by Masashi Kishimoto. Any other similarities in this story are purely coincidental.

Authors note: Hello there my loyal fans, fellow authors, great reviewers and dear online friends, Mr. Lee is here sooner than expected with **another** Naruto Flower Tales story for you. Remember when I told you in chapter three of my flagship story The Clan of Currents that my brain works in interesting ways? Well as I was resting and doing some research on the night of bringing out chapter seven of my story, I was still looking for a good base to do a Hinata tale. And just when I was about to hit the sack, like Omi from Xiaolin Showdown used to say, I was struck by inspiration :)! So here is the Hinata tale for you as I promised. Like I said in chapter one of The Clan of Currents, like Naruto and Hinata, I never go back on my word. **That too is my nindo**! The main problem I had in regards to bringing this story out is quite simple. With all due respect to the majority of the NaruHina authors on this site, about eighty to ninety percent of the fics on this couple are similar in one way or another. That doesn't mean that I don't like them (If I didn't, I wouldn't be a fan of her or the pairing.), it's just that I wanted my story to be as original and unique as possible. And thanks to my golden friend Kin-Ryu Chikara as well as this gift of a brain that God gave me, I finally came up with a story that I think all of you, as well as myself will like :). Now as much debate as there is the Naruverse, which Naruto pairing is the most popular is way up there on the list in debate topics. But regardless of who's best for the spiky blonde, Naruto and Hinata is arguably one of the, if not the most popular pairing in the series (Note that I said arguably.). The fanfiction, the fanart, the fanclubs, you can't go to anything that has to do with the spiky blonde without seeing the pairing or hearing about the beautiful and shy heiress of the Hyuga clan. And why shouldn't she be mentioned? Despite Kishimoto-sama not using her as much as fans would like (If he doesn't want to lose fans, he needs to start using more of his characters besides Sasuke, I mean really :/.), she still is one of the top three kunoichis in the series that I believe would be the best companion for our hero (Temari, Hinata, Second Arc Sakura). Her kind heart, gentleness and strong will have touched the hearts of many of a fan, myself included. We all have had that desire to change ourselves while trying to stay true to who we are. And believing that we can overcome the obstacles that are put in front of us in life in order to find our happiness is what makes us human. Naruto and Hinata understand this well in their own unique way. Yet there is one thing that bothers me when it comes to the pairing. And that's when people call Naruto dense for not recognizing Hinata's feelings or when people say that Hinata should be more direct and tell Naruto how she feels. To be honest, when people say this, **IT PISSES ME OFF IMMENSELY** X(! People are forgetting two important things when it comes to these two. In Naruto's case, he grew up with no parents and with the majority of the village hating and despising him, thus preventing him from having a normal childhood and forcing him to spend most of his life alone (As you saw during his fight against Gaara, Naruto himself admitted that he came very close to becoming just like the master of sand used to be. A person who didn't care about anyone but himself and would kill anyone who tried to hurt him.). In a situation such as this, it's understandable that his social skills are lacking (It's not as if he can learn the birds and the bees from Kakashi or Jiraiya since they're both perverts. Hell, even Sarutobi himself was one in his prime LOL XD!). And the fact that he wears a mask to hide his true self strengthens his case. Almost everything that he has learned in his life, he had to learn on his own, and he still manages to smile at least once at the end of the day. That's something a very few people in this world can do if he had his life. I said it before and I'll say it again. He is far from being the smartest person in the world, **but he is** **definitely not stupid**. As for Hinata's case, let's look at her status as the heiress of the Hyuga clan. Her family's technique, the Juken (Gentle Fist) is considered the most powerful taijutsu in Konoha rivaled only by the Goken (Strong Fist), used by Guy and Rock Lee. And her kekkei genkai, the Byakugan, is one of the most coveted bloodlines, next to the Sharingan, so much that her family has to be literally split in two to protect it. Now as the soon to be head of the clan, Hinata has the responsibility to maintain these things as well as the stability of her family, such as trying to prevent infighting, which we all know was very common in her family. So how would you feel if your own parent deemed you a lost cause and considered you worthless as a child even though you did nothing wrong and did everything you could to please them? How much would it hurt if someone you loved, someone who's blood flowed through your veins, gave you away to some stranger and said 'Do what you want with him/her. He/She is of no use to me.'? Wouldn't feel very good would it? What Hiashi did to Hinata in her early childhood most would consider mental abuse, and in many cases that is just as bad, if not worst than physical abuse (In Naruto's case, he most likely received every type of abuse imaginable.). From personal experience and being someone who once suffered from depression, I know the feeling of being considered worthless by the people you love and having no confidence in yourself (Hinata's favorite phrase being self-confidence is nothing to scoff at.). So honestly, I'm not surprised that she possesses a shy and quiet personality and has trouble expressing herself, especially to someone she likes, like Naruto. Imagine if Hinata had been as direct as certain people want her to be and he rejected her feelings, opting to continue liking Sakura. She would be devastated compared to most people who handle rejection because of her past abuse by her father, and she would probably feel worthless and unloved. Despite this, she still tries her hardest in whatever she's doing, and thanks to Naruto's influence and his encouragement, she's well on her way to becoming a better person (And just like Naruto, she manages to smile at least once at the end of the day.). And when the time is right and she's ready, a relationship with the spiky blonde could happen. Anything is possible. As an old Japanese saying goes, a flower that blossoms last, blossoms the best :). Hinata is very much like a flower to me (Funny I should mention that since her name is a pun that means 'a sunny place'.). And like any flower, it'll eventually grow. You just have to be patient. After all, that is the name of the biggest NarutoxHinata fanclub on the net, 'A Patient Love'. Rushing into love can only lead to disaster, at least that's what I believe (Sakura and Ino when it comes to Sasuke are perfect examples of this.). If Naruto and Hinata happens, it'll happen when it's ready. And if it doesn't, then I think that won't change the fact that Hinata will always love him, and that Naruto will always care for her, even if it's not romantically.

Phew. Sorry about that **long ass explanation**, but once again, I had to get my point across because it truly did **bug the hell out of me**. In any case, the flower that I'll be using in my story will be a lavender flower, since it represents waiting for love and loyalty, both of which I feel represent Hinata to a T when it comes to Naruto (The fact that her eyes are a pale lavender and that she wears a lavender outfit during the second arc supports my choice.). Naruto and Hinata will also be sixteen in this fic. This story is dedicated to all romantics out there including you undercover ones (You know who ye be ;).). All Hinata, Naruto and NarutoxHinata fans. A Patient Love: NarutoxHinata fanclub at Narutofan. To the NarutoxHinata authors Cenedarprime, Tinabot, my good online friend Rythixx (Thanks a lot for the idea my friend :)!), and any other author I missed who's NarutoxHinata stories I've read and enjoyed. And I like to give a special dedication and thank you to my golden friend Kin-Ryu Chikara for the inspiration to this story. It won't be exactly the way you wrote it in your e-mail to me, but this story probably wouldn't be here without your assistance. I thank you from the bottom of my heart and I wish you luck with your finals. Okay then, let the story begin. I hope to Kami that you like it :)! Enjoy :)!

_Tell me who admires you and loves you, and I will tell you who you are- Charles Augustin Sainte-Beauve_

_The greatest weakness of most humans_

_Is their hesitancy to tell others,_

_How much they love them_

_While they're alive- O.A. Battista_

**Hinata- A Lavender Tale**-Inspired by Kin-Ryu Chikara

Hinata Hyuga had a smile on her face as she was putting on her lavender ninja outfit. Lavender. This color has always been her favorite and it was because of the person who held her heart. And that person was Uzumaki Naruto. Some people would think that her feelings for him would be considered an infatuation, like the kunoichis she knew who once fawned over Sasuke. Or that it was because of his hard work and his determination to change himself, though that thought would be partially true. Truth be told, there were many reasons why she cared for him and had love for him when no one else did. But the main reason lied inside her drawer. A drawer she opened every day in the morning for eight years. Inside that draw was something precious to her, something one would call a cherished memory and a declaration of love.

As she did the finishing touches on her outfit, she opened her draw and pulled out her precious memory. She took a whiff of it, and as always it still held its scent to this day. The memory was in fact a pressed lavender flower. A flower the spiky blonde gave her as a child, on the day she first met him, and on the day he touched her heart.

"Naruto-kun…" Hinata said softly as a blush crossed her face. As she did every morning, she closed her eyes and drifted back to her childhood.

_Flashback-About eight years ago_

_On a late summer afternoon deep within the forests of Konoha, an eight year old girl dressed in a deep blue kimono was on the ground crying for two reasons. The first was that her ankle was sprained, and it hurt her to the point that she couldn't walk on it. The second was that on this day, her mother, who was the world to this girl, had died from an illness. _

_When her father, Hiashi Hyuga, had told her the news, she couldn't believe it. She wouldn't believe it. Her mother was the only person she felt that she could tell anything to. Even at a young age, the elder Hyuga woman told her daughter that she could be strong, while still being herself. Hinata still loved her father, but her mother was the one who truly understood her, and now she was gone. It was just too painful to bear. It hurt the Hyuga heiress so much, that she ran out of her home and into the woods. Hinata didn't care where she went when she ran out of the house with tears in her eyes. She just didn't want to be at the place where the only person who loved her just the way she is, would no longer be there. But the young girl cared now, because she ran so far into the forest that she ended up getting lost. In addition, she ran so fast and was crying so hysterically, that she tripped and twisted her ankle badly. Hinata was scared now because the sun was going down and it was getting cold._

'_Mother, why did you have to go away? I need you. I'm so scared.' Hinata thought as she covered her eyes and started to cry again. She was afraid that her father or the other members of her clan would never find her. Even if they did, the young girl thought that the animals of the forest would find her and kill her. She was truly in despair, until a voice shattered the state of mind she was in._

"_Hey, are you okay?" A voice asked with worry. Hinata opened her eyes and moved her hands from her face and looked up to see a young boy about her age with spiky blonde hair looking at her. Although the Hyuga girl was glad that someone was there, her first reaction was to be startled at how close he was. The young boy took a step back when she flinched away from him and frowned. "Please don't be afraid, I…I won't hurt you." He said softly. The girl lowered her head sadly at the boy's tone, feeling horrible for flinching like that._

"_I…I'm sorry." Hinata said in a tiny voice which was loud enough to hear._

"_It's okay. Here now, don't cry." Naruto said as the little boy put his hand out to give her a lavender flower. The Hyuga girl's eyes widened in shock at his actions. "I just picked it a little while ago because it was pretty and smell nice. But I'll give it to you, so don't cry okay?" He explained. Hinata couldn't help but smile and blush at the kind act. It was the first time anyone other than her mother had given her something. The little girl nodded and wiped her tears away, taking the flower a moment later._

"_T-thank you. M-my name is Hyuga Hinata." She said in a gentle voice to show that she trusted him._

"_My name's Uzumaki Naruto! Nice to meet you." The spiky blonde said happily. "Are you all right? Why were you crying?" He asked curiously. The young girl lowered her head slightly, unsure of whether or not to tell him._

"_My mother d-died today…" Hinata replied on the verge of tears again._

"_Oh…I'm sorry." Naruto said in an apologetic tone. Even though he was young, he knew what life and death meant._

"_I-It's okay. W-when I found out, I ran away and now I'm lost." She explained with her face flushed in embarrassment._

"_Okay! I'll take you back home Hinata." Naruto said without hesitation._

"_R-really?" The Hyuga girl asked with a smile._

"_Sure! I never go back on my word. I'll stay with you until we get back to your house." The spiky blonde said flashing his trademark grin._

"_T-Thank you, Naruto-kun…" Hinata said with an apple red face._

"_No problem, just leave it to me!" He retorted in his boisterous tone causing the girl to giggle. "Can you stand up?" He inquired as he reached out his hand._

"_N-no. I think I t-twisted my ankle." The Hyuga girl answered as she pointed to it. Being trained in the Juken (Gentle Fist) style since the age of five, she knew what was wrong with her easily._

"_Okay. I'll carry you on my back." Naruto said as he knelt down in a position to give her a piggyback ride. Hinata was hesitant to lean in, she never did anything like this before and was a bit embarrassed and worried. "You can trust me Hinata. I promise I'll bring you back home safely." He said in a reassuring voice that belittled his age. At that point, all the doubt that she had vanished and the young girl nodded with a heavy blush on her face. She leaned on his back and the spiky blonde lifted her up by her knees. The Byakugan user clutched onto him, while holding the lavender flower in one of her hands as he started to walk back to Konoha._

"_U-um, excuse me." Hinata started to speak._

"_What is it Hinata?" Naruto asked as he walked steadily, trying not to hurt her ankle._

"_W-why were you in the forest?" The Hyuga girl questioned back._

"_I go there to play after school. It's the only place where I can play without anyone bothering me." He replied._

"_Your p-parents must be w-worried about you." She said. The spiky blonde let out a heavy sigh._

"_I have no parents. I'm an orphan." Naruto said somberly. _

"_S-sorry Naruto-kun. P-please forgive me." Hinata said depressingly._

"_It's alright Hinata. Don't worry about it." He said. The walk was silent for about five minutes. "You must really miss your mother." He said suddenly causing Hinata to gasp._

"_Y-yes, I miss her. I miss her so much." She said laying her head on his back while a few tears stung her eyes._

"_Well if she's as nice as you are, I think she'd want you to be happy, not sad. So cheer up Hinata." The spiky blonde said joyfully. Needless to say, the comment caught the heiress completely off guard. It made the pain she felt from her loss lessen significantly. She knew what her blonde knight said was true because whenever she cried, her mother used to tell her 'little sunshine' to smile and be happy and to let the rain be her tears._

"_T-thank you…" Hinata said with a deep blush as she held the light purple flower a little tighter and wiped her tears with her free hand. They eventually mad it to the Hyuga compound some time later. As soon as they reached the door, Hiashi went to his daughter and mistakenly believed that Naruto had done something to her. But after a long explanation, in a rare form of gratitude for the Hyuga head, he apologized and bowed as a show of thanks for protecting and saving his daughter. Before taking his daughter inside, the two new friends talked for a few more minutes alone, as she sat on a nearby bench off her sprained ankle._

"_Thanks for defending me Hinata." Naruto said happily._

"_There's no need to t-thank me Naruto-kun. My f-father may be harsh sometimes, but he's not a bad person." Hinata explained. "B-besides, you saved me N-naruto-kun. If anything, I should be t-thanking you." She added with a blush while poking her fingers together._

"_W-well I'm glad I was able to help you." The spiky blonde said softly with a light blush while rubbing the back of his head._

"_Y-yes. Thank you N-naruto-kun. And thank you for the f-flower. I'll always treasure it." The Hyuga girl said with a warm smile. This caused both of their faces to become redder._

"_It's time to go Hinata. It's getting late." Hiashi said as he came out of the door._

"_Y-yes father." Hinata said obediently. "W-well I have to go now N-naruto-kun. Thanks again." She said turning to him._

"_You're welcome Hinata! Good night!" Naruto said happily as he got up from the bench and started to head home while waving goodbye to the girl. Hinata waved back to him, the blush not once leaving her face. With the exception of her mother, Naruto was one of the first people to treat her not as an heiress of the most prestigious clan of Konoha, but as a person. Time passed, and her father's treatment of her worsened, up to the point of him losing interest in her and passing her along to Kurenai when she became a ninja. This made the shy girl even shier than before, and there were times when she wished that she had died in that forest. But whenever the young girl did feel that way, she remembered Naruto's words and kindness, along with the lavender flower he gave her, which she pressed so she could keep it, and it always gave her hope. She watched his determination and his courage from a distance, and it always inspired her to do better. Hinata didn't realize until later that her admiration for the blonde boy who saved her life was truly the first time she felt love for someone other than her family. But seeing as that Naruto was interested in her fellow kunoichi Sakura, she kept those feelings to herself and waited patiently for the day when she would have her chance. And eventually those feelings grew with each moment their paths crossed together._

_End Flashback_

Now that time has passed and they're both now sixteen, things have changed since then. Naruto still cares for Sakura, but only as a friend now. However, the relationship that he has with Hinata has improved since they've been going on more missions together. And with the improvements, the stutter in her speech has lessened and they can communicate better.

"It's been a while since the two of us been together on a mission. I hope my time with Naruto-kun goes well today…" Hinata said out loud as she returned the pressed lavender back into her drawer and left her room. After leaving the compound, the Hyuga girl jumped towards the rooftops and headed to the Hokage monument. She headed upstairs and reached the door leading to Tsunade's office. But before she reached the knob to turn it, a swift hand reached out before her, surprising the Byakugan user.

"Good morning Hinata-chan." Naruto said in his usual cheerful self.

"O-Oh! Good morning Naruto-kun." Hinata said in her soft voice as a blush came across her face.

"Are you ready for our mission together?" The spiky blonde asked her.

"Yes. L-lets do our best today Naruto-kun." The indigo haired young woman replied.

"Right Hinata-chan! Let's get going then." He said pumping a fist in the air as he finally turned the knob and opened the door. "Good morning Tsunade-baachan (Granny Tsunade)!" He shouted.

"Heh, good morning Naruto! You seem to be in a good mood today." The female sannin said giving her ototo (little brother) a smile.

"Well you know me!" Naruto said putting his hands on the back of his head causing Hinata to giggle.

"Yeah yeah. Well anyway, this mission you have with Hinata is a simple D-rank mission. Just head to the fields around Fire Country and gather these herbs for me so I can make medicines. Take as much time as you need." Tsunade explained as she slid a mission paper on her desk, which Hinata took.

"All right Tsunade-baachan. Just leave it to us." The spiky blonde said confidently which caused the legendary sucker to raise an eyebrow.

"Well this is a surprise. I honestly expected you to complain about receiving a boring D-rank mission." She said with a light chuckle.

"Well you did save my life with one of those medicines not too long ago. So in this case, I can make an exception." He said softly.

"Naruto…" Tsunade said lowering her head slightly and causing Hinata to frown. She remembered that on one of his recent missions, he was violently poisoned by the Akatsuki, and that her medicines saved him when he was on the brink of death. "Sorry about that…" She said with a hint of sadness.

"Ah don't worry about it Tsunade-baachan. I owe you and Hinata-chan my life." He said joyfully turning to his longtime friend. When he became poisoned, Hinata was with him and with her Juken skills, she was able to hold off against the Akatsuki and protect him long enough for him to recover and assist in their defeat. She visited him during the hospital every day when he was recovering.

"Naruto-kun…" Hinata said with a large blush. Tsunade couldn't help but blush too at Naruto's words.

"There's no need to thank us Naruto. You would do the same for us right?" The female sannin asked with a smile.

"Of course!" Naruto said with a pumped fist making the two women giggle.

"Well in anycase, you have an hour to prepare. If anything happens, head back and report it to me." The beautiful blonde requested.

"Yes Hokage-sama." Hinata said in compliance.

"Don't worry Tsunade-baachan. This will be a piece of cake!" The spiky blonde said as he left the office with the Hyuga girl behind him. As the left the tower, the two close friends started to talk about their mission. "Hey Hinata, do you think you could make those onigiris like you made a long time ago?" Naruto asked out of the blue.

"S-sure Naruto-kun. D-do you want me to make them the same way?" The indigo haired young woman inquired happily.

"Yeah, why not? I'll bring some snacks too and we can have a picnic since this is an easy mission." He replied. A blush started to form on the Byakugan user's face. In her mind, this could be considered somewhat of a date.

"Y-yes, t-that would be n-nice." She stammered like her twelve year old self.

"Great! See you in a half hour then." Naruto said before disappearing in a swirl of leaves.

'I think this mission will go well…' She said before heading back to the compound.

_A few hours later_

After gathering the snacks and usual supplies, they left Konoha and started to head to the fields all over Fire Country, gathering all the herbs that the legendary med-nin needed. Since Tsunade said to take all the time they needed for the mission, Naruto did just that which pleased Hinata immensely since they rarely had the chance to be together without their teammates. Time passed and they finally decided to stop in a field of flowers to have their picnic in the late afternoon sun. Hinata made the onigiris that looked like the one she loved as the spiky blonde requested along with some other tasty treats which she created into a bento (a lunch box). Naruto brought the Hyuga girl's favorite treat, cinnamon rolls, along with some green tea he brewed himself.

"So Hinata, do you like the green tea I made?" Naruto asked the girl with anticipation.

"Y-yes Naruto-kun, it's really d-delicious and r-refreshing." Hinata replied honestly as a huge blush crossed her face and her stuttering got worse.

"I'm glad. I remembered that you liked cinnamon rolls, and I thought it would go well with the green tea." The spiky blonde said happily.

'Naruto-kun remembered one of my favorite foods. He really is sweet.' She thought cheerfully. "It really d-does. D-did you like the l-lunch I made?" She asked.

"I loved it Hinata. Those onigiris of me taste even better than before!" Naruto answered as he took her hands and held them gently.

"T-thank you N-naruto-kun…" Hinata said softly as her face became as red as an apple over the blonde ninja's physical contact. She started to feel slightly woozy as her twelve year old self started to come out and was on the verge of fainting. 'C-come on Hinata, you've gotten o-over this. D-Don't you f-faint.' She thought while berating herself. "U-um N-naruto-kun…?" She said a little louder to get his attention.

"Huh? What's wrong?" He asked as he tilted his head in confusion. He then noticed that he was still holding her hands. "O-oh!" He stammered as he let her soft hands go and turned his head away while blushing. "I-I'm sorry Hinata. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable." He said in an apologetic tone. The beautiful indigo haired girl frowned for a moment at his apology as a wave of guilt hit her for ruining the moment. Truth be told, she enjoyed his strong, but gentle touch.

"N-no Naruto-kun. You did nothing wrong." Hinata said in a reassuring voice. The spiky blonde turned around and smiled warmly at the young woman.

"Oh, that's good. Thanks for making those onigiris for me Hinata." Naruto said with a light blush.

"A-anytime Naruto-kun…" The Hyuga girl as she returned his smile. The two young ninjas remained silent as blushes crossed each of their faces. Neither of them knew what to say. After a few minutes passed, Naruto decided to break the silence.

"Hey Hinata, what's your favorite flower?" Naruto inquired. Hinata smiled as the blush remained on her face and the tension of the past moment died down.

"Hmm…W-well I like many f-flowers Naruto-kun. But my favorite is the l-lavender flower." Hinata answered as her blush deepened.

"Lavender flowers huh? Why do like those?" The spiky blonde asked curiously.

"L-lavender flowers represent loyalty and also show that a h-holder of one is waiting for l-love. It's also my f-favorite color." She explained in her gentle voice.

"Wow. That's cool." He said truthfully.

"A long time a-ago, someone s-saved me from the f-forest and gave me that f-flower. It's been my f-favorite ever since." The Hyuga girl added. 'Why did I bring that up? Naruto-kun probably doesn't even remember it.' She said in her mind sadly as she looked at her hands, not realizing that the young man was smiling at her with a blush on his face.

"I see. Well when we get back, I can grow some for you." Naruto said causing the young woman to gasp and look at him with her eyes wide.

"R-really Naruto-kun?" She asked with a glimmer of hope.

"Sure Hinata. I may not look it, but I have a bit of a green thumb despite all the orange I wear." He answered with a joke at the end causing the two to laugh. "Besides, you more than anyone knows that I never go back on my word. That's my nindo, my way of the ninja." He said in a gentle voice after the laughter subsided. The Hyuga girl's smile widened and her blush deepened after hearing the kind words of the one she loved. Hinata always knew that Naruto had a kind heart. But it was the first time that he ever said something like this to her. It made her heart sing with joy. It was then that Hinata decided to take a chance and do something most people would consider uncharacteristic of her. Mustering up all her courage, she leaned forward and gave him a peck on the cheek as the wind picked up and the flowers in the field blew through the air.

"Thank you Naruto-kun…" Hinata said in an angelic voice, surprisingly not stammering once.

"H-hinata…" Naruto stammered as he touched the cheek that she kissed and blushed a beet red. After seeing his reaction, Hinata immediately turned away and blushed harder than what was considered physically impossible.

'I just kissed Naruto-kun! What was I thinking? Now he probably doesn't like me.' She thought erratically as she started to poke her fingers together, a habit which she hasn't done in years. "N-naruto-kun…I…I'm sorry." She said lowering her head while she was still turned away from him. It took him a few moments to recollect himself and he just tapped the girl on the shoulder, making her turn her head to face him.

"There's no need to say you're sorry Hinata." Naruto said with a calm smile to the girl. Hinata returned the smile and started to calm down. "It looks like the sun's going down. Let's camp here for the night and head out to Konoha in the morning." He suggested as he changed the subject.

"Y-yes Naruto-kun…" Hinata nodded as she took a deep breath to relax herself.

"Okay. You set up the tents while I go gather the firewood." The spiky blonde said as he got up. The Hyuga girl nodded once more in agreement while he smiled at her as he headed into the forest.

It didn't take him long to acquire the wood needed. As he was gathering the wood, he occasionally touched the cheek that Hinata kissed and he smiled happily. 'Hmm…I wonder if there are any lavender flowers around here. I'll look for one on the way back.' He thought as he started to walk back. As he exited the forest, he went to a flower field not too far from where Hinata was and looked around. 'Ah! There it is!' He said in his mind as he ran to a spot where he saw the purple bouquet. The spiky blonde put the wood down and gently plucked the flower from the stem, but as he plucked it, he noticed that he started to feel very weak. It was almost as if the chakra was being sucked out of him.

'W-what's wrong with me? W-why do I feel so weak?' Naruto thought as he took a look around him. What he saw made his eyes widened in horror. He was so excited to find a lavender flower that he wasn't paying attention, otherwise he would've steered clear of this area. Because surrounding the young man was a large field of dangerous flowers known by ninjas as the kuronaki yuri (Black weeping lily). A flower that has the strange ability to swiftly drain the chakra of those around it, eventually killing the victim. Even the ninjas of sound steer clear of this flower and the people of fire country generally burn them for their own safety. Now one wouldn't normally be a problem for someone with as much chakra as Naruto. However, since he was surrounded by a large number of them, they started to feed on his chakra like parasites until he was in this state. He started to feel drained as he fell to his knees and his eyes started to flutter. He tried his hardest to stay awake, but his chakra was getting weaker and weaker while his body was getting heavier and heavier.

"D-damn, if I don't get out of h-here, I'll d-die…" Naruto said weakly. He normally would've summoned a shadow clone to carry him out, but he couldn't take that risk since he needed the little chakra he had left to survive. He already tried to summon Kyubbi's chakra, but all the weakness he was feeling, the demon fox was feeling as well, therefore making him unable to call upon it. The spiky blonde knew his only chance of survival lied with Hinata. Summoning up all the strength he could, he pulled out a kunai with an explosive tag. He pulled his arm back and threw the kunai with all his power. "I…I hope…Hinata…sees this…" He said as he fell to the ground and blacked out. Meanwhile, the Byakugan user was waiting outside the tent for Naruto to return.

'Where's Naruto-kun? He should've been back by now.' Hinata thought. However, that thought was interrupted as she saw an explosion not to far away. 'That was an explosive tag! Naruto-kun may be in trouble!' She screamed in her mind as she ran to the site of the explosion without hesitation. She stopped a few feet away and cautiously activated her Byakugan to search the are of the explosion. What she saw made her eyes widen in horror as she saw an unconscious Naruto surrounded by a bunch of black flowers that would be hard to see in the night. 'Oh no. Naruto-kun is surrounded by kuronaki yuris!' She said in her mind. The young woman moved a little closer and stopped at a spot where she would safe from the chakra sucking ability of the flowers. She was obviously worried about Naruto, but the kunoichi knew she couldn't be reckless or she would be in the same boat as him.

She took a strong stance and closed her eyes to concentrate like she taught herself. She took a few deep breaths and focused her chakra into her hands until they became as sharp as blades. 'You can do this Hinata! Naruto-kun needs you.' Hinata thought. The indigo haired young woman knew that she was only going to get one chance to get this right. If she failed then the boy she loved would either die of chakra drainage or get sliced to bits by her chakra blades. But Hinata squashed that doubt and fear from her mind and started to do a dance in matter similar to the way she danced under the waterfall all those years ago. Her focused, long range chakra blades started to cut up the deadly black flowers into little pieces with each step she took, making sure that her blades avoided Naruto at all costs. This continued for a few more minutes until all the chakra draining flowers were destroyed. After she knew they were gone, she quickly deactivated her kekkei genkai and powered down her chakra blades. Not taking any chances, she quickly picked Naruto up along with as much firewood she could carry in her jacket pockets and headed back to the camp with haste.

As they reached the camp, Hinata quickly took him inside and took off his jacket. She checked his pulse and noticed it was very weak. The young woman started to panic slightly, but stayed focused enough to start using the **Shosen Jutsu** (Mystical Palm Technique) that Tsunade taught her just in case of a situation like this. A couple of minutes passed, but there was no change in Naruto's condition. 'What's happening? Naruto-kun should've been conscious by now!' She thought as her anxiety became greater. She stopped the technique and activated her Byakugan to see what was wrong. She yelped in shock at what she saw. Naruto's chakra network just a minute amount of chakra left. He needed a chakra transfusion and he needed one quickly within the next several minutes or he would die, and the Hyuga girl knew that even at full speed, she wouldn't reach Konoha in time. Seeing that he was hanging on by a thread, her resolve broke down and she started to lose it as she cried like a raging river.

"**NO**! **NARUTO-KUN**! **PLEASE DON'T DIE**! **PLEASE**, **PLEASE**, **PLEASE**!" Hinata shouted hysterically as she pounded on his chest with both hands screaming please with each pound. This lasted for a minute until she collapsed on his chest and sobbed nonstop. "Oh Naruto-kun. Please, please don't go. You haven't accomplished your dream of becoming Hokage yet. There are so many things I want to tell you. So many things we haven't shared yet. If only I was stronger, you wouldn't, you wouldn't…**NARUTO-KUN**!" She cried as she lifted him up and held him close to her tightly for fear that he would disappear if she didn't. "If…If only I could give you give you some of my chakra…" She sobbed as the girl gripped his shirt until her knuckles turned white. It was at that moment that she was struck by inspiration. "That's it!!" The Byakugan user cried. She remembered a technique she learned while training in her use of the healing techniques she learned from Tsunade. It's something that she never actually tried, but she knew it was the only way. The beautiful girl pulled her head back and wiped her tears away. She looked at the face of her hope, her happiness and her love and smiled as a blush crept up on her face.

"Well Naruto-kun, I was hoping to do this with you if we ever got together. But even if we don't, I don't mind. Because I'm happy to give you the gift I've given to no one else. A gift that I wanted to give you on the day we first met and saved me. The day I fell in love with you…" Hinata said in that gentle voice that made her sound like an angel. With that she leaned forward and captured his lips gently in her first kiss. As soon as she did, her chakra which glowed in a soft blue surrounded her body and enveloped Naruto as her chakra started to quickly transfer to him. Hinata gave him as much chakra as she could, making sure to keep just enough for herself so that her life wasn't in danger. Minutes passed and finally she pulled away and her chakra powered down. She laid him down gently and smiled at him warmly. The young woman felt as if a great weight was lifted off her shoulders. All the nervousness and doubts that she felt when she was around him seemed to have vanished from her mind and her heart. "Naruto-kun…" She said softly before falling on top of him and passing out.

_Morning_

As the morning sun started to shine in the tent, Hinata squirmed and groaned as the sun hit her eyes. When the young woman woke up and yawned, she noticed that she was under the covers in a bed with her jacket off.

'W-what happened? Where am I?' She questioned to herself as her mind started to focus on what transpired last night. When she was fully awake, it hit her like a lightning jutsu. 'That's right! Last night, Naruto-kun was…!' She looked around the tent, but Naruto was nowhere to be found. Grabbing her lavender jacket that was on the side of the bed, she quickly put it on, and dashed out of the tent. "Naruto-kun!!" She shouted. Unfortunately, she ran out of the tent without giving her eyes time to adjust to the bright sunshine and was blinded for a moment.

"You should take it easy Hinata. You still need rest." A voice said as a fire as well as some sizzling in a pan could be heard. The young woman gasped when she heard the voice.

"Naruto-kun?" Hinata called out as she rubbed her eyes. As soon as they were focused, she saw her hope, her happiness and her love over the fire cooking some food.

"Yes Hinata. I'm here…" Naruto said in a gentle voice. The beautiful girl started to cry tears of joy as she ran over to the spiky blonde and embraced him with every fiber of her being.

"Naruto-kun! You're alive! I'm so glad…" The Hyuga girl sobbed as he wrapped his arms around her waist and held her firmly, but gently.

"Yes Hinata. I'm alright, thanks to you. Thanks for saving me." He said happily giving the girl her best smile.

"Anytime Naruto-kun…" She said as she pulled away from him slightly and looked up at him with a smile as her tears continued to fall. Naruto pulled away a little more and reached into his jacket and pulled out the lavender flower he plucked before the incident, causing the girl in his arms to gasp.

"Here now, don't cry…" Naruto said as he put his hand out to give her the flower. Hinata's smile widened as the memories of their first meeting sprang fresh in her mind. She took the flower and wiped her tears away, returning to his embrace a minute later. They stayed that way for a little while longer until the spiky blonde returned to making breakfast.

_An hour later_

"I see. So you kissed me in order to transfer your chakra to me faster than normal." Naruto deduced as Hinata explained what happened last night while they ate.

"Yes. Since I have very good chakra control thanks to my Byakugan and my training as well as being able to use healing jutsus, it was the quickest way to get chakra to you before you died." Hinata told him with a red face.

"Hmm…" He said with a smile.

"Naruto-kun, I'm sorry…" The Hyuga girl said in a guilt laden voice.

"Why are you apologizing Hinata? If you didn't do that, I wouldn't be eating breakfast with you right now." Naruto said as he gave her his trademark grin.

"Thank you Naruto-kun." Hinata said giving him a gentle smile. The spiky blonde's smile widened which caused her to tilt her head slightly. "What is it Naruto-kun?" She asked.

"Nothing really. It's just that you haven't stuttered once all morning." He replied matter-of-factly.

"You're right. I guess I've changed a little since last night." Hinata said.

"You're still the Hinata that I'll always know…" Naruto said warmly, causing her to blush.

"Thank you…" The kunoichi said happily.

"Well…you could thank me by letting me take you out to dinner when we get back to Konoha." The blonde ninja retorted with a blush across his face.

"You want to go out with me on a date?!" She asked in disbelief as her face became red as well.

"Well truth be told, I wanted to go out with you for a while. I just needed to get my feelings straight. I wanted to ask you out, but I wasn't sure if I was ready yet and I didn't want my friends to influence me. But now I know for sure." Naruto explained to her. Hinata completely understood how he felt. In all honesty, she was getting tired of all the kunoichis she knew saying that Naruto was clueless to her feelings and she should be more aggressive. The young woman was a firm believer in letting nature takes its course in certain things. Needless to say, patience truly was one of her virtues.

"I understand how you feel Naruto-kun. My mother once told me that if you love somebody, you should let them go. If they return, they were always yours. If they don't, they never were. Now I know what she means." Hinata said with a joyful look on her face. Naruto stood up and took her hand, lifting her up and wrapping his arms around her waist and holding her close.

"So are you saying that you love me Hinata-chan?" The spiky blonde asked in a deep and sensuous voice as a blush crossed his face. The Hyuga girl blushed as well when she heard him add the suffix to her name. The beautiful girl lowered her head, trying to sense any butterflies in her stomach, wooziness or any nervousness she had. She found none. She knew it was finally time and that her chance had come.

"Yes Naruto-kun. With all my heart…" The kunoichi replied in a soft voice without hesitation. The spiky blonde looked at the young girl who has now saved him four times compared to his two and gave her a smile she had never seen before. A true smile that he would give her from now on, along with his cerulean blues that shined like gold in the morning sun.

"Then take this gift as thanks for always believing in me. I promise to give you many more. Believe it…" Naruto said warmly as he captured her lips in a soft and passionate kiss as the sun shined a little brighter on the two souls that now became one. Hinata happily closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around her hope, her happiness and her love and gave him a soft moan of approval. It was her way of saying yes to his request for a date.

They made it back just before noon. After reporting what happened to the Hokage, they parted ways at the entrance to the tower to get ready for their first date, which they both already knew wasn't their last. Before getting ready, Hinata made sure to press the lavender flower that Naruto gave her. Even though it nearly cost him his life, it still held as much meaning to the young woman as the one he gave her when they first met. Because just like last time, it brought them together. And as she laid it across the other lavender flower and closed the drawer, she knew that this time, the flower would loyally keep them together.

Authors note 2: Finally, Naruto Flower Tales: Hinata is complete at last. I thank all of you for being so **incredibly** patient with me :). I hope to Kami that this story is **original** enough for all of you my loyal fans, and that you're not saying 'Been there, done that.' LMAO XD. Trust me on this, this was without a doubt, the **hardest** flower tale I've ever done (If only for originality). Now that the kunoichi five (Ino, Sakura, Temari, Tenten, and Hinata.) are finally complete, I may consider doing the older kunoichis now. And don't worry, I haven't forgotten about the sound kunoichis (Tayuya and Kin) or Hanabi and Sasame. I've also thought about Yuki-hime too, even though she's not a kunoichi. In any case, this is where you readers come in. Remember the drill. **READ**, **ENJOY** **AND** **REVIEW**! I mean it when I say that your thoughts and your feelings are important to me. Let me know your favorite kunoichis, don't be shy LOL XD! I truly do listen to what all of you have to say, even if I can't respond to all of you. And as you see with the title, I give credit where credit is due. So if you have any ideas for a base story for your favorite kunoichi, then e-mail me or PM me. Again, I apologize for the long authors note, but I truly needed to get that off my chest. And again, I give a shout out to Kin-Ryu Chikara. Thank you so much for the inspiration to this flower tale my golden friend! I'm looking forward to your return :D. I'm going to rest for a while, and then return to doing what I do best. Giving us fanfiction we can all enjoy :)! I'll be in touch with all you guys and gals soon. Until then, continue to enjoy reading my fics and dropping me reviews throughout the summer. Later for now :)!!


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